As the underlying framework is updated, new, more powerful functions will become available. PS is further enhanced by importing modules of support services, such as Active Directory (AD). This allows admins greater control over the devices and user accounts stored in AD, for example. This capability expands to all facets of maintaining the directory services, including controllers and domain services.

Before diving into the cmdlets, there are a few requirements that must be met to ensure that AD cmdlets are available and fully supported:

Administrative PC with Windows Vista (or newer) installed

Remote Server Administration Tools installed on administrative PC

Server with Windows Server 2008 (or newer)

Active Directory Domain Services Role installed on server

Windows Management Framework 3.0 (or newer)

Switched network (required for most cmdlets to function properly)

Broadband internet access (optional, but recommended)

Domain Admin credentials

]]>Mon, 08 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0000From the ebook:

For many enterprises, team collaboration is the engine that powers innovation. Bringing together different perspectives and a diversity of experiences, collaboration can spark new products, new services, and new ways to drive revenues and increase profits. Not only that, cooperation and collaboration can be a force in motivating workforce productivity—in general, a win-win for all concerned.

However, effective and efficient collaboration requires the deployment of tools, platforms, and systems that make working together for a common goal easy and effective. Over the past few years, Microsoft Office 365 has been redesigned to emphasize team collaboration by incorporating cloud computing into every application. Perhaps no other application epitomizes this philosophy more than Microsoft SharePoint.

Easy collaboration
Microsoft SharePoint, especially when deployed as part of Office 365, creates a virtual workspace where teams can meet, collaborate, and complete tasks. The key to SharePoint’s success within an enterprise is that any employee can create and maintain a SharePoint instance and then designate which team members can join. The busy enterprise IT department doesn’t have to get involved.

To illustrate some of the benefits of SharePoint in a modern enterprise setting, here are five ways the application can help teams collaborate.

Team-only access
One of the primary features of Microsoft SharePoint is its exclusivity. In general, unless purposely restricted by an admin, any employee can create a SharePoint instance. Once it’s created, that employee becomes the admin of that instance, deciding who can participate, what access each participant will be allowed, and how long the SharePoint instance will exist.

Only members specifically designated and authorized can access the documents located on their particular SharePoint server. This gives employees the flexibility to have SharePoint instances for teams, departments, divisions, the entire enterprise, or even just for themselves as an individual. It also allows team leaders to adjust access to the server depending on the ebb and flow of the work.

Central location
Once an instance is created, SharePoint becomes the central virtual location where team members can meet. Not only are shared documents stored there, but team members can chat, video conference with Skype, set up and complete tasks, and compare calendars. Members can even exchange email that’s exclusive to the SharePoint server. With the addition of the updated mobile app, SharePoint’s collaboration team meeting space is available to members as they travel. The shared space means that team members are never that far away, regardless of where they are currently located.
]]>Tue, 20 Mar 2018 00:00:00 +0000
From the download:

As Windows 10 has evolved, Microsoft has moved huge chunks of the old Control Panel to the new, modern Settings app. But navigating to specific destinations in the new app can be just as tedious as it was in the olden days.

Fortunately, there's a way to create one-click shortcuts for most popular settings pages using commands that begin with ms-settings, followed by a colon and the name of the page you want to jump to.

For example, ms-settings:network-status takes you to the first page in the Network & Internet category, where you can check the status of your network adapter and find shortcuts to virtually all other network settings.

Of course, typing that long command at a command prompt or in the Run dialog box makes no sense at all compared to searching or clicking for that setting. But you can use that command to create a shortcut on the desktop or another favorite location so it's always available.
]]>Mon, 24 Jul 2017 00:00:00 +0000
This policy provides guidelines for securing Windows on company computers or computers used to conduct company business. It assumes administrative knowledge of Windows/Active Directory environments. Rather than serving as a full technical guide, it outlines the general details for securing systems.

From the policy:

Policy detailsDesignate responsible individuals/groups
Specific individuals or groups should be designated to analyze, modify (if necessary), enact, and otherwise be responsible for the details of this policy. Examples include IT staff, security, and stakeholders from other departments. These stakeholders may be VPs, managers, or technologically savvy individuals who can provide input on their respective needs.

Develop templates based on system/user roles
Security templates (which can be as simple as a list of recommended settings or as complex as actual configuration files that can be applied to a system) should be developed based upon system and user roles. However, you must first establish these roles to proceed.

You don’t have to document every single workstation, but rather the role of the workstation in the organization so you can then assess how to secure company workstations overall.

This process should identify critical systems versus non-critical systems (e.g., test servers), which will then help you develop the right mechanisms for protection. With these roles in mind, you can develop a list of security settings/features working from a “least access needed” mindset based on the system function and user(s) involved.

For instance, users should have access only to file shares they need to do their jobs, and this can be based by department. A Finance folder with access permitted only by finance department users will secure the contents from unauthorized individuals. The same applies to mailboxes; most users will need to access only their own, but in some cases shared mailboxes may apply.

Similarly, restricting access to a workstation so that only the user assigned to it can log in can also enhance security by ensuring only appropriate personnel can access that system.

As you develop the templates, be sure to devise security across the infrastructure. DNS servers may not seem particularly noteworthy, but severe damage can be inflicted if they are compromised (and they usually run on Domain Controllers as well).]]>Tue, 27 Jun 2017 00:00:00 +0000Wed, 31 May 2017 20:48:57 +0000Tue, 17 Jan 2017 13:29:51 +0000
This collection of tips by Ed Bott provides faster, smarter, (and safer) ways to work with Windows. Tips include:

Customizing the Send To menu

Managing saved passwords

Getting extra mileage out of the Shutdown command

Using Reliability Monitor to troubleshoot issues

Creating a virtual hard disk

Organizing your cloud files

Removing private information from files and photos

Tracking down information about your system, network, and power consumption

]]>Tue, 20 Dec 2016 00:00:00 +0000From the download:

To assist Windows administrators with repetitive or mundane tasks, Microsoft developed a scripting language called PowerShell many years ago. Built upon the .NET framework, PowerShell lets you run the same tasks as the GUI, but with better controls and the capability of scheduling tasks or performing automation-related functions. It can also provide customized information and find things more rapidly than hunting through the GUI.

The power of scripting can work for both good and bad, of course. An improperly written or executed script can wreak havoc, perhaps by deleting ALL users from a domain instead of just one. It’s also a bad idea to code passwords into a script or any other confidential data, which if leaked, might harm your company’s reputation or environment.

To introduce you to PowerShell–or further your existing knowledge base–we have collected 21 PowerShell scripts for common AD tasks, like creating accounts, checking for account lockouts, and finding domain administrators.

The scripts provided with this document are not original–most were made public by their authors, to whom full credit at the top of each script file is given where applicable (some scripts were the result of simple trial and error by our staff). The purpose of this guide is to showcase the scripts and explain how they can be valuable to you. If you like the scripts, we highly recommend you check out the corresponding author webpages (if applicable) for other content that may be of use.

These scripts are safe to run and modify so long as you are confident in your understanding of how the changes will work. A test Active Directory domain is always a good idea and can be set up in a virtual environment, separate from your production environment.
]]>Mon, 29 Aug 2016 00:00:00 +0000Tue, 09 Aug 2016 22:00:59 +0000
It covers these topics:

Creating a Windows 10 Recovery Drive

Mastering Recovery Drive options

Launching Windows 10 Startup Repair

Reviving Windows 10 with System Image Recovery

Using System Restore as a recovery tool

Accessing Windows 10 Safe Mode

From the ebook:
A Recovery Drive lets you boot your system and easily access a number of recovery and troubleshooting tools to revive a failing Windows 10 system. If you haven’t done so yet, you need to create a Windows 10 Recovery Drive. That way, you’ll be prepared should you encounter a problem with your Windows 10 installation. In Windows 10, you can create a Recovery Drive on a USB flash drive as well as on an optical disc. While both procedures produce the same recovery tool, they are created from different user interfaces. The USB flash drive version is created using a stand-alone tool; the optical disc is created from the Backup And Restore (Windows 7) user interface. Why Microsoft didn’t unify the process under one roof, I don’t know. In this article, I’ll show you both ways to create a Windows 10 Recovery Drive.

Using a USB flash drive
The USB flash drive you use will become a dedicated Recovery Drive—you won’t be able to use it for anything else. In its base configuration, the contents of the Recovery Drive will require about 330 MB of space. However, if you choose to include the system files, which will allow you to use the Recovery Drive to reinstall Windows, you’ll need more space. Thus, if you are creating a basic Recovery Drive, you can use a 1GB USB flash drive. (If you have a smaller drive, from the old days, you could use it as well.) If you are going to add system files, you’ll want at least a 16GB USB flash drive.
]]>Thu, 28 Jul 2016 00:00:00 +0000Fri, 22 Jul 2016 22:00:48 +0000Fri, 03 Jun 2016 13:47:45 +0000Fri, 27 May 2016 00:07:53 +0000Thu, 14 Apr 2016 21:27:35 +0000Fri, 12 Feb 2016 11:07:06 +0000